Less Is More
Stocking Up Your Kitchen
EVERYONE WHO LIKES to cook has a mental picture of an ‘ideal kitchen.’ It could be anything from a charmingly old-fashioned room with a real fire pit for roasting to an ultramodern design with wide marble countertops and stainless steel fittings. Just ask any cook how a kitchen should function if money were no object: there will be as many answers as there are cooks.
The bad news: for most of us, money is a real object. The good news: the truth is that sometimes less really is more.
If you cannot have the room you want, you may still have an efficient space that will be a delight to work in, as long as you limit cooking tools to the essentials, organize them into a system, and learn the best ways to store ingredients and leftovers.
A common misconception among culinary enthusiasts is that the more tools and equipment they have, the etter their kitchen is going to be. That’s like saying that the more spice and herbs a dish has, the better it will taste — which may be true for some dishes, but not for those which are meant to be simple. Think of your kitchen as a simple recipe which you may tweak after you have mastered its basic form.
POTS AND PANS
Don’t be taken in by big, prepackaged sets of cookware. Chances are, you will never use half
of what is in the box. The average cook doesn’t need a dozen different pots and pans, only three versatile ones:
Eight-quart Stockpot.The largest of the three, this pot will probably prove the most useful. Soup-based main courses like tinola and pochero are best cooked in this pot. It may also be used to cook pasta (for it doesn’t crowd the noodles), boil dry beans until they are soft, and make various kinds of stock.
Three-quart Saute Pan. Good for all frying needs, whether for scrambling eggs for breakfast or making pork chops for dinner. It will even do in a pinch for frying rice or stir-frying vegetables, although you may make these last two dishes with that special weapon of the Asian cooking arsenal: the wok.
Two-quart Saucepan. The best bet for simple soups and sauces. It is also a good tool for reheating leftovers for two or three.
SPOON AND TONG
For actual tending to the food while it’s cooking, both wooden spoons and stainless steel tongs are highly recommended.
Wooden Spoon. Much kinder on nonstick surfaces and on metal surfaces in general. Unlike rubber or plastic, wood won’t melt or warp from the heat.
Tongs. Nothing beats these when it comes to lifting deep-fried food from sizzling oil — not even those fancy serrated spoons.
Mixing Bowls. Invest in at least three stainless steel or ceramic ones: small, medium, and large. Use bowls to scramble eggs (small), cream butter and sugar (medium), and sift together dry ingredients before combining them with the wet (large) — which means sometimes you may use all three at the same time. As these bowls are even more versatile than the pots, there are as many uses for them as there are recipes in the world.
Colander. Think of it as another kind of mixing bowl — albeit one with holes and little legs. Opt for stainless steel instead of plastic, as the latter is in danger of warping if you drain the hot water from cooked pasta or blanched vegetables.
KNIVES
As long as you have three basic blades, you’re all set.
Chef’s Knife. Anywhere from eight to 14 inches, it will slice through both meat and vegetables; and the flat side of the blade may be used to crush garlic or transfer ingredients
from the chopping board to the pan.
Paring Knife. With a pointy, three- to four-inch blade, this will serve you better with fruit and vegetables like potatoes. It being small with an extra-sharp point gives the leverage
for hard-to-slice crevices.
Serrated Knife. Use it for cutting bread, soft food, and for chopping herbs. It is also good
to use on food such as vegetables with skins like eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes.
Knife Block. Invest in a good knife block. The individual plastic sleeves that come with your knives protect the blades only while they hold together — but these will eventually fall apart. When that happens and you’ve grown accustomed to just putting them away in a drawer — likely jumbled up with the rest of the stainless steel tools — then you’ll end up dulling your blades.
OTHER BLADES THAT MAKE THE CUT
Peeler/Parer. An efficient tool for getting the skins off fruit and vegetables.Also used to make chocolate curls or shave chocolate to decorate on cakes.
Grater. Can mince soft food like cheese with more precision than a knife ever could.
It’s also good for zesting oranges and limes.
HANDLE WITH CARE. Peelers and graters are sharp, especially the ones with ceramic blades. Take care when washing them by hand.
Cutting Board. Use one made out of wood. Although plastic boards are popular because they are easier to clean and maintain, ultimately, they are much harder on your knives.
If you are going for the classics, then the traditional wooden surface is still the best bet.
APPLIANCES
A word to the wise before making a purchase: You probably don’t need the latest food processor or handheld mixer, or blender. Consider your specific cooking needs before you make such a big investment.
Oven Toaster. A great convenience not just for toasting bread or baking small to medium-sized potato (for baked potato) but for warming up leftovers in small batches.
Microwave Oven. Pop popcorn, heat water (for quicker boiling), defrost frozen meat,
and even cook meatballs with a microwave. About the only thing it doesn’t do is toast bread,
so best to keep a toaster on hand.
Handy Guide To Arrange Food in the Refrigerator
Fruits
Keep them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator — or if you expect to eat them up quickly, in an attractive basket on your counter.
Chicken Cutlets
Use a rolling pin or pan to flatten cutlets, then put them in a single layer in a zip-lock bag, pressing out all the air before you seal it. They will defrost much faster!
Leftovers
Invest in good airtight containers — microwave-friendly, if possible. As tempting as it is to recycle old plastic jars and boxes, remember that these are not necessarily best for your food.
Perishable Items
Perishables like seafood should be stored at the bottom and toward the back of the refrigerator, not on the door, where it’s warmer.
Ground Meat
Spread the meat in a thin layer on one side of a zip-lock bag, then flatten it some more to squeeze out all the air before sealing. The meat will also defrost more quickly, and the flat bags may be stacked up to save freezer space.
Bottles and Drinks
Place bottles and jugs in the side doors as they can handle the weight. Just make sure that bottles don’t bump into anything inside the compartment which is usually the cause for doors not closing properly. Transfer half bottles of wine into smaller containers to save room and reduce oxidization. Use this also to store bottled food and condiments that don’t spoil quickly.
Dairy Products and Eggs
Keep them on the cooler lower shelves of your refrigerator. Despite the convenient egg holders, eggs are best stored in the box you bought them in and as far away from the door
as possible.
In the Pantry
Spices
Small, airtight tins, and jars are essential. Arrange these on a rack which you can have next to the stove when you are cooking, and which you may also put away when you’re done.
Canned Food
Keep the heavier cans as close to waist level as possible, for minimal hefting. Smaller cans may be stored higher in a cabinet.
Packaged Food
Most food that comes in bags or boxes is much lighter and may be stored at eye level or higher. After opening, put them in airtight jars or zip-lock bags.
- Cristina Espina
